UFC 328 takeaways: Van cements his champ status; C...
Key takeaways
- The two men who left Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with championship belts on Saturday earned them in different but equally hard-fought ways.
- In the main event, Sean Strickland showed the world that the previously undefeated Khamzat Chimaev could be beaten.
- Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale explore those topics now that UFC 328 is in the books.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The two men who left Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with championship belts on Saturday earned them in different but equally hard-fought ways. Joshua Van let anyone who questioned his championship mettle heading into UFC 328 know that he is the real men's flyweight champion. His opponent in his first title defense, Tatsuro Taira, gave Van all the pressure he could handle, but Van stayed composed and stopped Taira in the fifth round.
In the main event, Sean Strickland showed the world that the previously undefeated Khamzat Chimaev could be beaten. Strickland had answers for all of Chimaev's tests on the way to a split decision victory. Now, Chimaev could respond in one of two ways: He could be motivated to come back better or move on to something else.
Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale explore those topics now that UFC 328 is in the books.